Kaplan Survey: Law School Grads Believe Their Social Media Posts Are
“Fair Game” for Prospective Employers

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A new Kaplan Bar Review survey of over 700 aspiring lawyers finds that 78 percent think it's "fair game" for prospective employers in the legal industry to visit job applicants' social networking profiles to help them make hiring decisions.

A new Kaplan Bar Review survey of over 700 aspiring lawyers finds that 78 percent think it's "fair game" for prospective employers in the legal industry to visit job applicants' social networking profiles to help them make hiring decisions.

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Law school graduates from the class of 2017 don’t object to prospective
employers scoping them out on social media. According to a new Kaplan
Bar Review survey of over 700 aspiring attorneys, 78 percent think that
it’s “fair game” for prospective employers in the legal industry to
visit job applicants’ social networking profiles like Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram to help them make hiring decisions*.

Law school grads who think it’s appropriate for employers to vet
prospective employees using social media shared the following opinions:

“A person's social media presence is an extension of who they are and
who they want to be perceived as. You could have a completely capable
candidate for a position who meets all of an employer's qualifications
on paper and in an interview, but if the person acts in a contrary
manner on social media it can not only affect what potential clients
think about the attorney, but also about the employer. “

“It's useful to know what kind of person an applicant is, particularly
their personality and temperament, as opposed to what goes on a
resume. Use of these sites is voluntary and if an applicant doesn't
want an employer to see the things they post then they shouldn't post
them.”

“Professionalism does not stop at work. When you represent your
company, especially within the legal field, you have a higher level to
uphold. The best way to truly see a person is how they act on their
personal page and majority of the time it shows their true character.”

Those who object to prospective employers using social media this way
opined:

“Attorneys should have an ethical standard that they hold themselves
to, however, what I choose to do in my personal life is what I do in
my personal life. There is no reason that an employer should try to
see what I do during my personal time.”

“An applicant's personal life is separate from his professional life
and that separation should be honored especially when employers solely
want someone who will be proficient in their work environment.”

“Employers hired people before social media existed based on what they
had in front of them, and didn't need to judge people's social lives
to make their hiring decisions. I'm not sure why they would need to do
so now.”

Additionally, 66 percent of recent law school graduates say that it’s
acceptable for a state bar’s fitness and character committee to visit
law license applicants’ social networking profiles to help them make
decisions about who gets admitted to the bar.

Just 7 percent of survey respondents say that they would be concerned
about prospective employers or a state bar’s fitness and character
committee finding posts that would negatively impact their nascent
careers.

“Our survey finds that tomorrow’s lawyers are not only fine with
prospective employers and state bar examiners looking at their social
media trails, but it many cases think it’s a good idea because it may be
necessary to protect the legal professional and individual legal
practices,” said Tammi Rice, vice president, Kaplan Bar Review. “We know
that aspiring attorneys are not a shy group, but given that many of the
people who might make or break their legal careers could be seeing what
they post, it’s always better to err on the side of caution. We
encourage a healthy exchange of ideas and the right to express yourself,
but it’s not without risk when it comes to your livelihood. You don’t
necessarily have to share everything.”